Using advanced LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology, researchers have identified a massive, previously unknown urban complex belonging to the ancestral Maleku people in the dense rainforests of northern Costa Rica. The site, dubbed 'The Emerald Citadel,' features extensive stone-walled terraces and a central ritual plaza that has been completely hidden beneath the jungle canopy for over a thousand years. This discovery suggests a much higher level of social stratification and engineering among the early Chibchan-speaking groups than previously recorded.
The mapping data shows a sophisticated water-management system comprising interconnected stone reservoirs and gravity-fed canals. Archaeologists believe the city served as a vital trade hub connecting the Pacific coast with the Caribbean lowlands. Excavation teams have already begun identifying surface artifacts, including polychrome pottery and carved volcanic stone spheres, which align with the site's estimated occupation period between 100 BCE and 800 CE.